Motivated Hawks playing for first state title

LAS CRUCES — It's the newer power versus the traditional power in New Mexico high school football.

While Centennial looks for its first ever state championship in its first ever state title game appearance in just the fourth year of the program on Saturday, Artesia is looking for its 29th state title and is making its 33rd state title game appearance in the history of the program.

But, these have been the top two teams in Class 5A all season as the No. 1 seed Hawks (12-0) face the No. 2 Bulldogs (11-1) on Saturday at the Field of Dreams for the Class 5A state championship.

"We worked all year and it’s like a dream come true," Centennial senior offensive lineman Cameron Burkley said. "We’ve been thinking about this since we were freshmen. To play against a team like Artesia that’s good all around is an opportunity we wanted since we were freshmen.”

Artesia's 28 state titles is a New Mexico record and the Bulldogs are the defending Class 5A state champions.

While the Hawks are seeking their first state title, they also are looking to honor offensive line coach Roger Grays, who passed away on Monday after a car accident on Thanksgiving morning. Grays was a huge part of the Hawks' success in the four years of the program. Centennial will look to win the Blue Trophy for Coach Rog as he was known by those who knew him.

"We’re missing Coach Rog like nothing else," Centennial coach Aaron Ocampo said. "This has been, really ever since last Thursday, the most strange time I’ve ever had as a coach. Coach Rog was one of my best friends. I love him, our players love him. A lot of times you hear cliché things about this person being this or this person being that. Rog was truly a great friend and was truly a motivator. Any time any of these kids had trouble, he was the first one to go pick them up. He was the first one to get on their butts when they’re not doing the right thing. He was one of the best coaches I’ve ever been around. We’re missing him greatly.

"Coach Rog would always talk about these guys fighting adversity, getting up, being great. And we definitely know he’s up there watching us. And we want to make him proud.”

Today could turn into a offensive shootout as both teams have potent offenses. Centennial is averaging over 400 total yards of offense per game and scoring 40 points a game. Artesia is averaging 38.8 points per game behind one of the best quarterbacks in the state in 6-foot-5 senior Justin Houghtaling.

Centennial's defense has been solid this year, giving up 13.6 points per game and coming off a 42-0 shutout win over Moriarty in the semifinals last week. Artesia will be one of the best offenses the Hawks have seen this season.

“Artesia is a tough matchup in that they’re so good at receiver and they’re so crisp with the routes they run," said Ocampo, who's also looking for his first state title as a head coach. "Our defensive line has to get to the quarterback. They have to put pressure on Houghtaling because if we don’t pressure him and let him sit back there, he has a great arm and he can throw the ball 60 yards in the air. So, he can do a lot of things as a quarterback. We’ve got to mix and match with the things we’re doing. Whether we’re sending pressure, whether we’re dropping and keep them off guard a little bit.”

Centennial's senior class has been with the program since the school opened in 2012 and will be the first four-year senior class at CHS. They have a chance to give the program its first Blue Trophy in the school's last year in Class 5A before moving up to Class 6A next fall. The CHS football program is looking to give the school its third athletic state title in the past two academic years (2014 volleyball, 2014-15 boys basketball).

“Since our first day here at Centennial since I was freshman, we’ve been working so hard each day just sweating, crying ... leaving it out there every day," Hawks senior defensive end Jerry Gurrola said. "We just come to practice, chop wood, carry water and do our same thing every day. Just getting better and getting better. Looking forward every week. Not looking in the past or dwelling in the past. We always look forward.”

Mark Rudi can be reached at 575-541-5455 or at mrudi@lcsun-news.com. Follow him on Twitter @mrudi19,